Tight Ends to Target in PPR, Fade in Standard - Fantasy Football Outlooks for Dalton Schultz, Tyler Higbee, Pat Freiermuth, more

Jackson Sparks identifies NFL tight ends that are more valuable in PPR leagues than in standard leagues in 2023. Which TEs should fantasy football managers prioritize this season?

The fantasy football landscape has evolved mightily and there are countless scoring formats and leagues of all shapes and sizes, but the three most popular formats continue to be standard, half-PPR, and PPR (point per reception) scoring. Reading the fine print of your league's scoring rules is key to crushing your preseason draft, as certain players have varying values across different formats. The tight end position is no different.

In PPR leagues, tight ends in bad offenses that won't be a high-scoring team nor finish near the top of the standings in total offense can still have value thanks to volume. In standard formats, a tight end needs big touchdown upside and yardage totals to really make a difference.

In this article, we'll dive into tight ends that are more valuable in PPR formats but may warrant fading at cost in standard leagues. As always, the tight end position is thin and some of these guys won't even be on the radar in 12-team leagues. High-end studs like Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and George Kittle see slight changes in value from format-to-format, but they're highly valuable in all leagues relative to other TEs, so they won't be featured here.

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Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

As a rookie in 2021, Freiermuth was a better standard league option, posting seven touchdowns on 60 receptions. With a rookie Kenny Pickett under center in 2022, he was a far better PPR asset, securing 63 of his 98 targets for 732 yards and two touchdowns. Unless the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense takes a big leap forward, he'll likely continue to hold more value in PPR setups.

He's proven to be an above-average target-earner from the TE spot through two seasons, but given the lack of uncertainty surrounding the upside of the Steelers' offense, he'll likely see limited touchdown opportunities in 2023. Diontae Johnson is an elite target earner in his offense, but George Pickens and Allen Robinson II figure to be contested catch guys who won't command a ton of volume.

Instead, Freiermuth and Johnson will serve as the shallow to intermediate targets in an offense that should see more passing volume in 2023. Freiermuth isn't necessarily a complete fade in standard leagues, but his floor and ceiling are much higher in PPR.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Schultz has exceeded expectations in each of the last two seasons in the Dallas Cowboys' offense, but in 2023, he'll be featured in what is projected to be one of the worst offenses in the NFL. C.J. Stroud is an exciting quarterback prospect, but rookie signal-callers struggle to support fantasy pass-catchers more often than not. However, Schultz could serve as his security blanket in the short to intermediate passing game. He can provide decent floor weeks with a ton of volume.

That said, Schultz saw just a 7.3 ADOT in the high-flying Cowboys' offense last season, ranking 16th among tight ends (PlayerProfiler.com) In Houston, he'll likely see that figure come down even more, so it's tough to expect explosive plays from the limited athlete.

He'll also likely see a big reduction in red zone targets (15 in 2022). Put simply, the Houston offense will have far fewer red zone trips and scoring opportunities than Schultz has been accustomed to, so his standard league upside is severely capped. His best-case scenario is a high-usage season in which he catches 70-plus passes. Robert Woods, Nico Collins, John Metchie III, and Nathaniel Dell figure to be his primary target competition.

Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers

Hurst is in a similar situation as Schultz, but he doesn't bring an impressive resume with him to Carolina. Hurst ranked 13th among tight ends in receptions last season with 54, but he ranked 36th in ADOT (5.1) and 37th in yards per reception (8.1) Ultimately, he's a "catch and fall down" tight end who operates in the shallow parts of the field. Despite playing in one of the league's best offenses last season, he scored just two touchdowns and was a low-end TE2 on the season.

However, he has the chance to be the "easy throw" guy for No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young in his rookie campaign. Adam Thielen is a shell of his former self, D.J. Chark is mostly just a field stretcher, and Jonathan Mingo has an unimpressive production profile from college. Oddly enough, Hurst could be the most dependable target for the young gunslinger in 2023. He doesn't have TE1 upside, but in deep leagues, he may be worth taking a flyer on since he's usually drafted after the first 24 tight ends off the board. In shallower leagues, he's not worth considering in drafts for now.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Higbee posted a TE6 season in PPR formats last year, despite playing in one of the worst offenses in the NFL. His season was the blueprint for excelling in PPR formats, but being mediocre in standard leagues (TE15 finish). The veteran caught 72 (fifth-most) of his 108 targets (fourth-most) but racked up just 620 receiving yards (ninth-most) and scored three touchdowns (20th-most).

Higbee finished the 2022 season outside the top 30 tight ends in ADOT (3.3), air yards (359), and deep targets (1). He ran the third most routes among all tight ends, but his targets were far from efficient and fruitful.

In 2023, we could see more of the same. The Rams' offense likely can't get any worse, but it will still likely be a bottom-10 unit as the team continues to suffer from a lack of depth from numerous trades over the last few years. Once again, his touchdown upside will be limited, but he could be the No. 2 passing game option behind Cooper Kupp.

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Like Hurst, Otton is just a deep-league depth consideration, but he figures to hold more PPR value than standard league value. Baker Mayfield won the Bucs' QB1 job over Kyle Trask and he's proven to be an adequate passer in the intermediate section of the field. Chris Godwin should be the target leader in 2023, but Mayfield could struggle to push to ball deep and to the boundary to Mike Evans. This could open an up opportunity for Otton to become one of his favorite targets for easy throws and catches.

Tyler Higbee posted a 12.7 and 30.4 fantasy point week with Mayfield under center for the Rams last year, and Austin Hooper caught at least 38 passes in his two seasons with Mayfield in Cleveland. The ceiling isn't high here, but Otton could find his way into more volume than many expect. He's another low ADOT player with largely mediocre athleticism, so he shouldn't produce many big plays or find the end zone much in 2023. He'll only enter the fantasy radar in leagues with excess bench slots.

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